Will I Get A Hospital Bill?

jenn1984

Hi all. Had an accident 3 months ago resulting in a broken collarbone. Initially I paid my GP the usual €45 for the first consultation. Since then, I've been to my local public hospital 6 times with xrays/consultant visits every time. I've been asked a few times if I had a medical card to which I replied "No" but I had health insurance but they never asked for details. No one has presented me with a bill since. How does this work?

Thanks
Jennifer

Mrs OBumble

If the GP referred you, then you should not get a bill.

You will only get one if you self-refer and don't need to be admitted, or if you are admitted. AFAIK

RobFowl

You're supposed to be charged €75 to a max of €750 per annum for each opd visit. Some departments charge some seem not to. Unless you get a bill I'd leave it !

PlainP

I had to have my appendix out in November and I haven't had any bill either.

I wasn't referred, my boyfriend brought me in around 12am.

NuMarvel

RobFowl wrote: »

You're supposed to be charged €75 to a max of €750 per annum for each opd visit. Some departments charge some seem not to. Unless you get a bill I'd leave it !

The €75 per day/€750 maximum is for day-case or in-patient treatment.

The only charge for out-patient visits is the €100 charge for visits to the emergency department, and that can be free too, e.g. if referred by a GP, or admitted as an in-patient or day-case.

Jenn, as Mrs O'Bumble says, if a doctor referred you for the x-rays and visits as a public patient, then there'll be no charge.

jenn1984

I was referred by GP initially then every consultant since then has told me to arrange my next apt at the front desk. Will definitely stay quiet but would love to know for definite.

NuMarvel

jenn1984 wrote: »

I was referred by GP initially then every consultant since then has told me to arrange my next apt at the front desk. Will definitely stay quiet but would love to know for definite.

Public consultant visits, e.g. clinics, are free, and your reference to seeing multiple doctors for the same problem makes me think that these are public.

If these were private visits, it would usually be the same doctor, and you'd be in no doubt as to what the cost would be

RobFowl

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/hospital_services/
There you go, lots of exceptions and exclusions.
Seems I was wrong above!